Mark it in your Diaries,' The Equine Touch Fortnight in the UK,September 11 to September 27' its virtually non stop Equine Touch at all levels. Its an exciting though probably a tiring time for Ivana and I but we are really looking forward to it. We start off with a massive charity event which we hope all horse rescue and welfare organizations will send people to at the Blue Cross at Burford for a level 1 clinic with us. Then its down to Kelly Marks' Hartsop Farm headquarters for a Level 3 and a Level 4 ET and Beyond, that is followed two days later 19 and 20th, with the IETA National and International Conference at the Newmarket Racing School, an absolutely great venue with some top line presenters who I know will be so interesting they will do IETA and ET proud, then a couple of days later at Bristol Horse World, Ivana presents the very last Level 3 under the current program in the UK while I hold a VHT Practitioner Master Class, followed by the all new Layering and Prescription Clinic, and then the very next day I will be presenting the first ET Mobilization and Stretching Clinic. So it is all systems go. Amazingly after that we have a day off, to return our car to the car sales, do the laundry and catch a plane to New York to start teaching in PA a day or so later, and then its non stop until we reach New Zealand mid November, look forward with catching up with some of you along the way.
Wise words for this week " A moving target is hard to hit."
| Sept 11, 12, 13 | Level 1 | Blue Cross Burford, reserved for Rescue/Welfare staff only | Contact UK NCC |
| Sept14, 15, 16, 17 | Level 3 | Hartsop Farm, Whitney. With Ivana -Sorry Sold out | Contact UK NCC |
| Sept 14, 15, 16 | Level 4 | Hartsop Farm, Whitney with Jock | Contact UK NCC |
| Sept 19, 20 | IETA Conference | Newmarket Racing School - Don't Miss It! | Contact UK NCC |
| Sept 24, 25, 26, 27 | Level 3 | Bristol Horse World. With Ivana | Contact UK NCC |
| Sept 25 | VHT Masterclass | Lyn Palmers at Glastonbury. With Jock - Practitioners Only | Contact UK NCC |
| Sept 26 | Layering | Lyn Palmers at Glastonbury with Jock - Level 4 and up only | Contact UK NCC |
| Sept 27 | Stretching | Bristol Horse World, class open to everyone. Numbers limited. | Contact UK NCC |
We are starting to move along nicely into the testing stages of ET and VHT. The following study was carried out by two of our instructors in the Uk and is extremely complementary to the results of VHT on the rider. The text is abridged to make it easier to understand, we are currently discussing plans as to how we can continue to develop these studies in the near future to obtain as much worthwhile knowledge as is possible to pass on to all of you out there.
An Assessment Of The Effect Of Soft Tissue Bodywork On The Bio mechanics Of A Rider. (Abridged)
This assessment was carried out on Wed 6 May 2009 at Ashen Equestrian Centre, Suffolk with kind permission of Becky Chapman. There were 6 participants although only 4 completed assessments. This test was carried out by Kate Prowse and Jo Fernandes, 2 riders were assessed before and after receiving The Equine Touch Foundation’s – Vibromuscular Harmonization Technique (VHT), and 2 riders who were assessed after Dr Lance Wright’s Flow.
Strider is a horse-riding simulator at Ashen EC and Becky Chapman is a biomechanics coach. Strider can be programmed to simulate walk, trot and canter (with lead changes) at a variety of intensity of pace. It is pressure sensitive and records the real time changes in the riders weight in 5 key areas – rider’s weight on horse’s back (ie bounce), rider’s weight forward or back from the balance point, rider’s weight left or right of centre, pressure on the reins, and overall effectiveness/stillness of the rider (a combination of the other factors above).
Each rider sat on Strider and had their mechanics recorded at walk, trot and canter having receive no recent bodywork and with no external coaching influence on how to sit. Photos and video footage was taken from behind and the side to record posture. Their mechanics/flexibility was then recorded using 10 key body movements such as flexion of ear to shoulder left and right, and turning head left and right. They then received VHT or Flow. After a time lapse of between 10 and 20 minutes, they repeated the process and were reassessed on Strider at walk, trot and canter (with no coaching influence), photos and video again taken and the 10 key body movements were reassessed. The riders could not see the simulator graphs during the tests and so could not adjust their positions in response to this visual aid.
Results
The assessments of each rider using the 10 key body movements showed a difference in flexibility of every rider after bodywork from before it. The assessments using the Strider simulator measurements showed a significant difference in the 2 riders who received VHT and little difference in the 2 who received Flow. The rest of this report concentrates on the 2 riders who completed VHT assessments.
Rider 1 (Yvonne Carter) comparison of Before and After receiving VHT
Rider is a generally balanced and still rider but has known difficulty in allowing her right seat bone to connect with her horse.
Rider Comments
“Before I felt tense and solid. Afterwards I felt pliable and softer inside. I found my right seat bone and could keep it in contact with the saddle more easily (as long as I did not think about it – when I did think about it, it tightened again!).
Yvonne looked glowing and relaxed – “When sitting on Strider or in this chair I can sit relaxed with no need to slouch”
Bodywork Received
Rider received the VHT Basic Body Balance, neck, throat, TMJ, Advanced sacrum and shoulder procedures.
Rider 2 (Kelly Snow) comparison of Before and After receiving VHT
Rider is a competent rider but has known postural issues (tension/pain in shoulders and down left leg) and has received major abdominal surgery.
Rider Comments
“Initially I had a painful left hip when just sitting on Strider. As movement started the pain got worse in left hip and went into left knee and left calf. I had feelings of tension/cramp across the top of both shoulders. In trot I felt as though I kept migrating towards the front of the saddle and had to try and keep myself back in the saddle.”
“After the VHT I had no pain in the left side at all! My shoulders still had some discomfort but felt much softer. There was also much less feeling of moving forward in the saddle.” “I felt really spaced out and extremely cold for some time”.
Bodywork Received
Rider received the VHT Basic Body Balance, neck, throat and TMJ and advanced sacrum and pelvic procedures.
Conclusion
The conclusion taken from this session was that real and measurable changes were obtained following VHT bodywork. These changes could be seen in the Strider pressure printouts and the Key Body Movement assessment. Most of these changes were in what could be considered a positive direction for the rider influence on the horse, but some were not eg Rider 2 moving from centre to left during the canter, or rein pressure getting stronger. However, they all indicated that a fundamental change had happened within the rider’s body. These changes are probably necessary adjustments for which other releases may follow, and for which the rider would later adjust to and end up with a softer and more balanced riding posture.
Apart from the obvious positive results from this for the horse and rider, the stand out in my eyes is that these positive effects were evident and registered only 10 to 20 minutes after a VHT session. We would love your comments on this. Good one Kate and Jo!
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Q: For Ivana from Donna: There is a horse in the barn who has ringbone. healthy but in pain and the owner is reluctant to put him down. Can ET help? |
Q: For Jock from Donna: How soon after birth is it safe to do the coccyx procedure and can it be performed on lactating mares? |
ET as a bodywork cannot make the disease disappear. Together with the corrective shoeing or trimming it can make the horse more comfortable and surely can lessen the stress on the inflamed structures. Horses in pain change their posture and by moving away from their balanced 'stable table' they will need to engage muscles as the stay apparatus cannot hold them anymore. These working muscles became more tired, shortened and painful, many times with nuisance trigger points. BBB can help to release the superficial muscles, relax the horse and also reveal where to work next. Relaxing muscles, releasing stuck fascia, will make the horse more comfortable and also more able to 'compensate'. Horse with ring bone will sometimes be uncomfortable, but having a fresh body can offer him to choose the best position to be in as little pain as possible. As this is the scenario that works for many horse with arthritis in general, please remember, work as gentle as possible and with theory that less is best. Observe the horse after each ET session to find what is working the best for him.For detailed Ringbone information checkout: RINGBONE |
The coccyx procedure, from all reports that we have had back is safe to perform at any time, though we do tend to lean on the caution side about performing this procedure on mares, especially in the first trimester. Interesting is the fact that we have had several reports that when the coccyx procedure or the sacrum pump has been performed on mares that have retained, and have a history of retaining, the placenta that the these procedures have had an amazing positive result. So with this in mind I would be using it as a matter of course as soon after birth as possible. The move appears to stimulate the reflex in that area and cause contractions. In saying this however we have tried to speed up a birth by using this procedure (at the request of a vet) but the mare took its own sweet time (the mother of our horse Jo). One must always remember that ET is a gift to the horse and if it wants or needs it, it will use it to its maximum. If it does not it will just ignore it - the nature of the horse. |
Hi Jock,
My 12 yr. old Holsteiner choked on a Saturday morning. I tried several times to dislodge the food with the hose but with no success. I called the Vet and he was on his way....I went back to work with my horse. I first released the hyoid ( level 3 ET), then I opened the throat ( Level 1 ET) and then open the entire neck and jaw with ET. After doing these areas of concern, I realized the horse was in overall distress, so I did a Level 2 Advanced Body Balance. I stood back and hoped for the best, I could see the head and throat relax and also see the food particle dislodge and move down the esophagus. Within, 15-20 minutes the incident was over, the horse was breathing well and no signs of choke. About 10 minutes later the Vet arrived, to find a horse in no distress, just a little tired. I did have the Vet listen to the heart and lungs, but thankfully all were normal. The Vet was very surprised that I had taken care of the problem on my own....without muscle relaxants, tubing, and anti-inflammatory drugs. He was very complimentary on the effectiveness of ET.
Thanks to ET, my horse avoided a stressful situation of injections and tubes and was back grazing within 35-45 minutes of his "choke."
Trudy Johnson
ET Practitioner/ Regional Instructor(CA)
GREAT NEWS! TRUDY HAS BEEN INVITED TO MONTY' ROBERTS' FLAG IS UP FARMS ON AUGUST THE 20TH TO GIVE A DEMONSTRATION OF ET TO MONTY'S INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. DON'T FORGET IVAN AND I WILL BE BACK THERE TEACHING LEVEL 1 AND 2 ON OCTOBER 30, 31 AND 1ST OF NOVEMBER. MORE ABOUT THAT AND OUR UPCOMING USA TOUR IN THE NEXT ISSUE.
Hi Jock and Ivana
A new horse arrived at the barn (a Hanoverian warmblood) who was very nervous and apparently had always been a weaver. As it has been a miserably hot summer here in Austin, I could not stand to see her so stressed out and sweating. I performed the BBB on her and she stopped pacing up and down the fence. The second time I saw her (the owner of the barn was out of town and I had come out check on the horses and just hang with them), she walked up to me and sniffed my hands as if she was asking me to do more ET on her. I gladly obliged. Again she became very relaxed and wandered off to process the information. This happened the third time as well.
After not being at the barn for about five days, I went out to ride and she seemed a little nervous about the owner's horses being in the pasture right next to her paddock. I again did BBB on her and after I finished and was watching her, she layed down. Seeing her become so relaxed, that she would lay down was the biggest compliment she could have paid this level 1 practitioner Being able to give horses this wonderful gift makes me very happy. Bless both of you for developing this system. Looking forward to seeing you in October for level 2.
Donna Burrow, Level 1
Austin, Texas
Hi Ivana
The days at the European Championship were very good. I got some really good contacts, clients and interest in courses.The chestnut mare belonging to the hosts Jock demonstrated on in L4 , won the title in the junior class. I continued to work on her after the L4 clinic. In the morning of the performance day I did a "top up" + stretching of the fore legs. Simon stated that she was in top form and he gave ET credit for that. Please let Jock know about it.
Regards
Carola Grauers, Instructor, Sweden
Hi Ivana,
I recently completed the level 3 at Norfolk in June which I have to say was amazing I have spent an enormous amount of money over the years on various courses but the level 3 ET was the best money I have ever spent, it's been a huge investment to me as I left that week with more than I expected, so I thank you guys for that.
Susan Brook, Level 3 student UK
JOCK AND IVANA'S AUGUST CZECH REPUBLIC SCHEDULE |
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| 7, 8, 9 | ET - Level 1 | Brno - Jock and Ivana | For those who are interested in attending any of these clinics from the UK, there are direct low cost flights via Ryan air to Brno from Stansted. We can arrange to pick up from the airport. The courses due to the cost of living and exchange rate is very cheap as is the accommodation. If anyone is interested please contact us direct at equinetouchinc@aol.com |
| 15, 16, 17, 18 | VHT Level 1 | Brno - Jock and Ivana | |
| 22, 23 | VHT Level 1 | Brno - Jock | |
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ET Ireland |  |
ET Australia |
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ET Sweden |  |
ET Africa |
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ET USA & Canada |  |
ET UK and France |
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ET Germany |  |
ET New Zealand |
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ET Holland |  |
ET Denmark |